Because most people won’t be on the internet tomorrow, USA Today has run a new story about the upcoming Man of Steel sequel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, in which director Zack Snyder talks about the upcoming film.
Noting that this is a big movie in which DC is trying to bring their superteam the Justice League together, Snyder uses words like “thicker,” “dense” and “more epic” to describe the upcoming film. If Man of Steel was about figuring out how Superman fits into our world (and most critics will tell you: not very well), Justice is more about world building as Superman visits Gotham City and is forced to deal with the shrewd businessman that is Lex Luthor.
However, what is perhaps more interesting to most people is that Snyder talks a bit about Ben Affleck’s role in the film as the character that stole the lead spot away from the central character of the film, Batman. Snyder notes that he had wanted to adapt “Dark Knight Returns” on his own, but instead mixed it into the bourgening DC Cinematic Universe. Not only that, but Snyder notes that it was Nolan’s films that impacted the decision to include Batman even though Nolan’s Batman films are not what they’re defining this film’s Batman by — which is fine because, really, no one cares as long as it’s Batman, right? They’re using all 75 years of Batman canon as “inspiration,” and Snyder does describe him as older and more road-weary, so the “Dark Knight Returns” aspect is still very much in play.
When asked to confirm the relationship between Superman and Batman, however, Snyder simply notes that the film is Batman v Superman, not Batman vs Superman, and that allows them to “keep it from being a straight ‘versus’ movie, even in the most subtle way.” Why they have to be introduced as potential foes instead of friends is beyond me, but if “Dark Knight Returns” is the main inspiration for a Superman film then I suppose it doesn’t really matter.
They also show off a new picture of Henry Cavill as Superman in Dawn of Justice, which looks just like Henry Cavill as Superman in Man of Steel if you used your Sin City filter in Photoshop:
Unfortunately when asked about the role Wonder Woman will play in the film, this is all that is said:
Similarly, Snyder also knows that putting the iconic superheroine Wonder Woman on a movie screen is a big deal, too. He says he hasn’t filmed any scenes with Gadot as the Amazonian princess yet, but “she’s working out and getting buff and ripped.”
Well, at least it’s a slightly better response than others have done recently.
For those who are anticipating the upcoming film it’s a relatively interesting read. There isn’t much there that you probably didn’t know or couldn’t assume was the case, but whether or not you liked Man of Steel, Snyder does seem incredibly passionate about this vision that he’s building for the DC Cinematic Universe and the tone that is being established. It may not be for you with its cynical overtones, emphasis on imposed divinity over humanity and more, but as Michael Bay says to Transformers 4 critics, it doesn’t matter because we’ll all probably see it anyway.
Snyder closes with the quote, which seems to sum up that thought pretty well:
“You can talk all you want about other superhero movies, but it’s Batman and Superman, let’s just be honest,” Snyder says. “I don’t know how you get bigger than that.”
Dawn of Justice hits theaters May 6th, 2016.
